AUTONOMOUS UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLES

• US 20170081005A1
• Filed: 09/21/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Lichter, Harry J., BAKER, Wayne A., RODRIGUES, Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US15/272,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20170081005A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/004 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/008 Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/08 Propulsion schnorkels B63G8/36; nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/14 Control of attitude or depth of torpedoes F42B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/16 by direct use of propellers or jets
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/30 of artillery or missile launching means

Abstract

Autonomous underwater vehicles are described that are stackable with other like autonomous underwater vehicles on a suitable launch platform, such as within a vertical missile launch tube of a submarine, waiting to be deployed into the water. The underwater vehicles can be deployed or launched individually, in groups, or all together into the water. While stacked together, the stacked autonomous underwater vehicles can connect to one another or to external structure of the launch platform. In addition, the underwater vehicles can be positively buoyant or can be made to have controllable buoyancy to allow the underwater vehicles to float up and out of the launch platform during deployment without an external deployment force.

Claims

1. A method of deploying an autonomous underwater vehicle, comprising:

arranging a plurality of the autonomous underwater vehicles within an interior space of a missile launch tube of a submarine in a vertically stacked arrangement, each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles being individually releasably connected to the missile launch tube by a releasable connection mechanism; and

while the submarine is submerged in water, releasing the releasable connection mechanism between an uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles of the vertically stacked arrangement and the missile launch tube, and thereafter deploying the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles so that the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles is deployed into the water from the interior space of the missile launch tube.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sequentially and individually releasing the releasable connection mechanisms between each one of the remaining autonomous underwater vehicles of the vertically stacked arrangement, and thereafter deploying each one of the remaining ones of the autonomous underwater vehicles of the vertically stacked arrangement so that each one of the remaining autonomous underwater vehicles is deployed from the missile launch tube.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles has positive buoyancy, and wherein deploying the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles of the vertically stacked arrangement comprises using the positive buoyancy so that the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles floats up and out of the interior space of the missile launch tube into the water.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the missile launch tube includes a rail system within the interior space thereof, the rail system being fixed to the missile launch tube;

and the releasable connection mechanism of each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles is releasably engageable with the rail system; and

wherein releasing the releasable connection mechanism of the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles of the vertically stacked arrangement comprises releasing the releasable connection mechanism between the uppermost one of the autonomous underwater vehicles and the rail system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles includes at least one notched formed therein, and each notch is engageable with the rail system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein there are at least three of the autonomous underwater vehicles in the vertically stacked arrangement.

7. The method of claim 4, comprising arranging a sleeve within the interior space of the missile launch tube, and the autonomous underwater vehicles and the rail system are disposed within the sleeve.

8. A vertical missile launch tube of a submarine, comprising:

an interior space with a vertically uppermost exit opening;

a plurality of autonomous underwater vehicles within the interior space in a vertically stacked arrangement, each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles has a maximum lateral dimension that is larger than a maximum thickness dimension thereof, and each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles is sized to permit each autonomous underwater vehicle to exit the interior space through the vertically uppermost exit opening; and

a releasable connection mechanism associated with each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles that releasably connects each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles to the vertical missile launch tube.

9. The vertical missile launch tube of claim 8, further including a rail system fixed within the interior space of the vertical missile launch tube;

and the releasable connection mechanism of each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles is releasably engageable with the rail system.

10. The vertical missile launch tube of claim 9, wherein each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles includes at least one notched formed therein, and each notch is engageable with the rail system.

11. The vertical missile launch tube of claim 8, wherein there are at least three of the autonomous underwater vehicles in the vertically stacked arrangement.

12. The vertical missile launch tube of claim 8, wherein each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles has positive buoyancy.

13. The vertical missile launch tube of claim 9, comprising a sleeve within the interior space, and the autonomous underwater vehicles and the rail system are disposed within the sleeve.

14. A submarine, comprising:

a hull;

a vertical missile launch tube in the hull that defines an interior space with a vertically uppermost exit opening;

a plurality of autonomous underwater vehicles within the interior space in a vertically stacked arrangement, each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles has a maximum lateral dimension that is larger than a maximum thickness dimension thereof, and each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles is sized to permit each autonomous underwater vehicle to exit the interior space through the vertically uppermost exit opening; and

a releasable connection mechanism associated with each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles that releasably connects each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles to the missile launch tube.

15. The submarine of claim 14, further including a rail system fixed within the interior space of the vertical missile launch tube;

and the releasable connection mechanism of each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles is releasably engageable with the rail system.

16. The submarine of claim 15, wherein each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles includes at least one notched formed therein, and each notch is engageable with the rail system.

17. The submarine of claim 14, wherein there are at least three of the autonomous underwater vehicles in the vertically stacked arrangement.

18. The submarine of claim 14, wherein each one of the autonomous underwater vehicles has positive buoyancy.